Uber Health or Stretcher Transport? When a Rideshare Isn't Enough
Aurevia Patient Transfers | Non-Emergency Medical Transport in Toronto & GTA
Uber Health markets non-emergency rides across Toronto and the GTA, and many clinics and care coordinators now book trips through it. For many patients, it works well. It works for a specific kind of rider, though, and knowing where that line sits can spare your loved one a discharge that falls apart at the curb.
What Uber Health is designed for
Uber Health is a booking platform. It lets clinics, care teams and family members arrange regular Uber rides on someone else's behalf. The vehicle is a standard car with a standard driver.
Uber's own guide for care coordinators says the service is best suited to riders who can get in and out of a car by themselves, without support. Drivers will help put a walker or folding wheelchair in the trunk when asked. Lifting, carrying or repositioning a passenger is outside their role.
For someone who walks to the curb, sits comfortably for the drive and manages their own front steps, that can be a sensible, low-cost choice.
When a rideshare stops being the safe choice
Problems start when any one of those assumptions doesn't hold. A rideshare is the wrong fit when your loved one:
can't sit upright for the length of the drive, after surgery or because of their condition
needs hands-on help to move from a bed or wheelchair into a car seat
has stairs to manage at pickup or at home
is drowsy or unsteady after sedation and needs help getting from the vehicle to bed
travels with oxygen or needs someone keeping an eye on them during the trip
is leaving hospital and needs to be collected from their room and brought all the way inside
In each of these, the driver's job ends at the curb. The hardest part of the trip usually happens after that.
What stretcher transport covers
Stretcher transport is built for the person who needs to travel lying down, or who needs physical help at every stage. With Aurevia, two trained crew members:
collect your loved one from their bed, hospital room or nursing unit
move them safely through hallways, elevators and stairs, with stair assistance included in the price
keep them secured and comfortable during the drive, with on-board oxygen available
bring them inside at the destination and get them settled, or hand over to facility staff
It is a different service at a different price. What you are paying for is two trained people, purpose-built equipment and vehicle, and a trip that ends at the bedside.
A quick way to decide
Ask yourself three questions:
Can they sit upright safely for the whole ride?
Can they get from where they are into a car seat on their own?
Is someone ready at the other end to get them safely inside?
If all three answers are yes, a rideshare or taxi may be all you need. If any answer is no, or you aren't sure, ask the care team how your loved one should travel.
If they can sit in a wheelchair for the trip but can't transfer into a car, a wheelchair-accessible van may suit them. Our guide to stretcher transport vs. wheelchair van walks through that choice.
Booking with Aurevia
The quickest way to arrange a trip is our online booking form. Tell us where your loved one is, where they're going, and anything we should know about stairs, equipment or positioning. We respond within an hour with a complete quote, and nothing is added at the door.
Phone: 437-870-8090 | Monday to Sunday, 8 am to 8 pm
If you are currently using another provider and something isn’t working—reliability, communication, or something else—we are happy to discuss whether we would be a better fit.
Aurevia Patient Transfers provides pre-scheduled, non-emergency stretcher transportation across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.
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